McCain’s London Fund-Raiser

New York Times ^ | March 14, 2008, 5:48 pm | Elisabeth Bumiller

[ConservativeJen]

WASHINGTON—Senator John McCain has been averaging a fund-raiser a day in America’s pockets of affluence – hotel ballrooms in New York, Atlanta, Chicago – but now he will expand his pursuit of campaign donations at a $1,000-a-plate lunch at the 18th century Spencer House in London.

The transatlantic fund-raiser, to be held March 20 at the home built by the first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, the late Princess of Wales, comes at the end of a foreign trip that Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has repeatedly said is not political. Mr. McCain is to travel to London, Paris and the Middle East next week with Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican, and Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, the Connecticut independent.

“I do want to emphasize again that the three of us are going as members of the Armed Services Committee,’’ Mr. McCain told reporters on his campaign bus in Philadelphia on Friday. “And we will emphasize that at every stop.’’

But the trip, which is to include meetings with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Great Britain and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, will serve as a promotion of the senator’s foreign policy credentials at a time when his two Democratic competitors, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, are still battling for their party’s nomination.

Jill Hazelbaker, Mr. McCain’s campaign spokeswoman, said in an e-mail message on Friday that Congress would be reimbursed for the political portions of Mr. McCain’s trip, including Mr. McCain’s flight home, when he will travel separately from the rest of the Congressional delegation.

“We are also paying for the fund-raiser and his hotel that evening in London,’’ Ms. Hazelbaker said in the e-mail.

[ConservativeJen]

Am I the only one bothered by a Presidential candidate holding a fundraiser in a foreign country? Doesn't compare in scale to the millions of dollars Communist China has funneled to the Dems, but still...

[counterpunch]

I would assume it is for Americans abroad.
McCain certainly knows campaign finance laws. (Heh.)

[calcowgirl]

What is a “lounge suit”?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR2008031403897.html

Senator’s Supporters Are Invited to Lunch With a Lord
Saturday, March 15, 2008; Page A06

Sen. John McCain plans at least one campaign event on his week-long congressional trip to Europe and the Middle East: a March 20 fundraiser in London. An invitation sent out by the campaign says the luncheon will be held at Spencer House, St. James’s Place, “by kind permission of Lord Rothschild OM GBE and the Hon Nathaniel Rothschild.” Tickets to the invitation-only event cost $1,000 to $2,300. Attire is listed as “lounge suits.”

[iowamark]

A lounge suit is a British term for a business suit, less dressy than a tuxedo.

[Mac1]

“I would assume it is for Americans abroad.
McCain certainly knows campaign finance laws. (Heh.)”

I tried to donate (I’m on the Human Events mail listing) but it didn’t work.

[Republican Wildcat]

Not sure what there is to be bothered by it unless he is raising money from non-Americans, which I doubt. Still, it is very risky and his campaign better look at each cent with great scrutiny, otherwise he could have great exposure for holding a “foreign fundraiser.”

[nyyankeefan]

yeah...when the chinese buy military secrets from the clinton lackeys...it is not a big deal.....

juan mccain knows the campaign laws that he co-authored.....he won’t break the law and will maybe created some “good will” in the eyes of the world that the lib/dems say jorge bush lost!!!!!